2017 Keynote Speakers

Ali Berlow Author, The Food Activist Handbook

Andy Larson, University of Illinois Extension Educator

“Understanding Food Labels”

2017 Breakout Sessions & Workshops

Workplace Food Box & Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Iowa Food Hub, Tree of Life Farm & Two Onion Farm

Are you interested in affordable, fresh-picked local produce? Vegetables delivered to you at work? Good nutrition and a healthy diet? Supporting local farmers and the local economy? Learn how families and businesses in the tri-state area are connecting with local food through CSA & Food Box programs that deliver fresh produce to workplaces and other dropsites each week throughout the growing season.

It Begins with a Handshake:

Farm to Institution Purchasing Panel: Connecting Farmers & Buyers

It begins with a handshake: The aim of the Farm-To-Institution Purchasing Panel is to foster relationships between farmers and buyers in the tri-state area. The panel will feature grocers, restaurateurs , hospitals, distributors, and many more institutional buyers of local food in the Greater-Dubuque area, and offer an opportunity for buyers to discuss how their organizations purchase local, including successes and challenges they have have witnessed.

Producers interested in reaching Dubuque-area buyers are encouraged to attend, as there will be ample time for Q&A and networking.

Donation Gardens & Community Gardens

Dubuque Community Garden Coalition + ISU Master Gardeners

It starts with an idea: Each year thousands of Americans living in poverty depend on emergency food providers including food pantries and free meal sites for food. Learn how you can get involved with The Dubuque Community Garden Coalition or partner with the ISU Master Gardeners in Dubuque County to grow fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables to donate through the 2017 Donation Garden Program.

Rural Hunger

Food insecurity not only impacts urban neighborhoods; many rural communities live in food deserts as well. Without compact urban centers with accessible grocery stores, members of rural communities often find themselves 10 or more miles from access to fresh, farm-grown food, even when it’s grown in their backyards. Come hear Robin Stone (Share the Harvest) and Tom Nelson (Food, Faith, and Farming Network) discuss their work in overcoming the realities of rural hunger.

Prison Gardens: Healthy Skills & Healing

The American criminal justice system holds more than 2.3 million people in state and federal prisons, jails, and juvenile correctional facilities. Learn about the social benefits of gardening with offenders, and the opportunities for rehabilitation and healing through local foods.